A pickleball banger is someone who forgoes the soft, dinking play of the game. A banger loves to smash, slap, and crush the ball. Their goal is to overpower their opponent and they rarely come to the net. This article provides some insights into how to beat a pickleball banger.
Just like in tennis, it’s easy to want to generate as much power as you can when first starting to play. It’s hard to understand how to execute the soft game and why adding it to your pickleball strategy is essential.
Banging the ball can be an effective strategy if one can put topspin on the ball, keeping the ball in play. It’s also a good strategy if they figure out their opponent doesn’t know how to counter their hard-hitting shots.
So, how do you counter the heavy, quick shots of a pickleball banger? You must neutralize them and take away what they most love: power.
- Let them hit the ball out. This might seem like the most obvious one, but let a banger pay for hitting hard. If their ball is sailing out, simply let it go out of bounds or get out of the way if the hard shot is hit at your body. There are only 22 feet of court they can hit into, and with their power, many will over-hit and simply miss – gaining you easy points. Bangers typically get frustrated when their shots consistently go out.
- Positioning. Pay attention to where your opponent is on the court. Are they hugging the baseline, or do they love coming to the net? There’s a higher percentage that a banger’s ball will sail out if they’re closer to the net, while if they’re near the baseline, they have more court in front of them.
- Contact point. Where is your opponent striking the ball? Is it low to the ground, high above the net, or perfectly in their strike zone? A shot hit low to the ground will likely pop up. A pop-up paired with their power is a recipe for an out ball. The same goes for a ball that’s hit above the net. Most players, especially pickleball bangers, go nuts for these shots. Over-hitting is the name of the game when a floater presents itself.
- Backswing. Pay attention to how your opponent is hitting. Is their backswing huge or compact? A bigger backswing will cause the ball to travel further through the air, and the ball will likely land well out.
- Topspin. Most players who also play tennis know how to hit with topspin. Topspin allows the ball to drop in because of the upward brushing of the ball against the paddle. Try to notice if your opponent hits with topspin; if they do, their shots will drop in the court. If they don’t hit with topspin, their shots are likely to fly out.
- Wind. If you’re lucky enough to be playing pickleball outside, then the wind becomes a factor. Notice if the wind your opponent is hitting with the wind or against it. If they are hitting with the wind, you’re in luck because their pace mixed with the wind will take the ball and land out. Pay attention to the direction of the wind for the entire duration of your pickleball match.
- Volley at their feet. If they can hit with topspin and they have good control of their shots, then you’re going to have to neutralize the banger. Move into the net, take time away from them, and volley their hard-hit shots at their feet. Hitting at their feet will force them into a defensive position, which is the kryptonite of a pickleball banger.
- Absorb pace, place it well. Most bangers avoid the soft game of pickleball. You won’t find many that want to dink back and forth. One strategy to use is to block the ball back across the net, specifically placing it in the kitchen. A well-executed drop-shot to the kitchen will also do the trick.
- Keep them deep. Keeping a pickleball banger deep is ideal. This gives you more time to react to their shots. A deep return of serve starts the rally. A short return which bounces high is brutal and feeding right into a banger’s strategy.
So, there you have it – some insights into how to beat a pickleball banger. Use some of these tips to take on court with you when you find yourself up against a hard-hitting pickleball banger. Try them out and let us know if they were helpful.
Pickleball Banger Videos
For some pickleball banger videos, take a look at our 3.0 Pickleball page.